Entering his fourth season as the Peru State College Cross Country Head Coach, Coach James Cole is honored to continue leading an athletics program that began when he was a Peru Student 20 years ago.
James Cole is a 2007 summa cum laude Peru State graduate with a degree in accounting. His competitive running journey began when he first came to Peru in the fall of 2002. He was asked to be part of the coed cross country club being formed by long-time distance runner and Peru State physical education faculty member Pam Gray. The next year, Peru State reintroduced women’s cross country to their varsity athletics and James Cole moved from being a club team member to a volunteer student manager / coach for the women’s team. He continued that volunteer role, past his graduation, through the 2010 season.
James deployed with the Army National Guard in 2011 and took on a more demanding full-time position with the Nebraska National Guard when he returned. He stayed in touch with the Peru State cross country coaches throughout the years and continued to maintain statistics for the program.
His time at Peru State and involvement with the cross country program opened many opportunities for James who had never participated in any sports until joining the cross country club in 2002. Peru State’s previous coaches and fellow runners have helped him develop into a competitive runner and he continues to compete in local events and with the Nebraska Guard Marathon Team. James has completed over 20 marathons, some with the National Guard Marathon Team; a 50-mile race; and the Disney Dopey Challenge; along with numerous other running events. He also leads a military team through the Nebraska Market-to-Market Relay event.
“One of the most fulfilling things for me, is bringing my running journey full circle. I’ve returned to my alma mater to help mentor Peru State students and develop their drive for competitive distance running into a life-long enjoyment for the activity.”
James is currently working as a full-time federal technician for the Nebraska National Guard and also serves as a member of the Nebraska National Guard at the base in Lincoln.
Coach Cole is often caught saying, “Of my three jobs, coaching is the job I love.”
While Coach Cole is looking to build a competitive program, he is also a firm believer in giving students who want to develop into runners and put in the work to get competitive the opportunity. Without that opportunity, he wouldn’t be where he is now. Everyone’s long distance running journey starts somewhere. If you are interested in joining our college and our team, you can reach Coach via phone call or text at 402-699-1904 and email at
jcole@peru.edu.
